Touristy but Awesome: Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant

When I visited Tokyo, I had numerous people tell me before I left that I just had to check out the Robot Restaurant. I had seen it featured on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown as well as on blogs all over the internet, so I had an inkling of what it was all about and was excited to check it out for myself. So, I reserved a night at the restaurant before I left for Tokyo (show only…I skipped the dinner because I had been told it’s not very good), and looked forward to the show!

When you arrive, you walk through a psychedelic hallway. You know, just to set the tone…

Then you’re taken to a waiting room that puts Las Vegas to shame in terms of decoration…

I mean, I was a foreigner, but in the few days I had already been exploring Tokyo, I had become somewhat accustomed to being the only foreigner in most places I wandered around in, so it was strange to be back around so many people speaking English again. I got a little worried that I had wandered into Tokyo’s biggest tourist trap, but decided to give it a shot either way.

The Robot Restaurant is unique, one-of-a-kind. I can’t even begin to describe to you the spectacle that is such a feast for your eyes, ears…all your senses, really. It is wild and entertaining and somewhat confusing (but in a delightful way) all at once. This is the kind of thing that could have happened only in Tokyo, and man, am I glad this place exists!

It’s full of fun music and famous Japanese pop culture iconography such as anime characters, robots, figures from mythology, and so much more. It was one of the most fun, exciting, interesting shows I’ve ever been to in my entire life. If you find yourself in Tokyo, do yourself a favor and book yourself a performance at the Robot Restaurant. It’s so fun, and unlike anything else in the world.